Neanderthalby Insitome

Discover which of your unique traits may have been inherited from our Neanderthal ancestors—like muscle growth, skin color, and cognitive ability—and why they matter today.

Compare your genome to that of Neanderthals and Denisovans in the Insitome Traits iPhone app or using your web browser on almost any device. Reveal how much of your DNA was inherited from our hominin cousins, and how it affects you today.

Neanderthal

$29.99

Helix DNA kit $80.00

$40.00

Required one time only so Helix can collect a saliva sample from you and sequence your DNA.

Neanderthal

by Insitome

What you'll get

Your Neanderthal heritage Reveal how much of your DNA was inherited from these hominin cousins, and how it affects you today.

What you'll get

Your Neanderthal heritage Reveal how much of your DNA was inherited from these hominin cousins, and how it affects you today.

Which parts of you are Neanderthal? Discover whether you inherited Neanderthal versions of musculature, skin color, and other traits.

Explore your Neanderthal traits Get an in-depth understanding of each Neanderthal trait you could have inherited.

Learn how humans interacted with Neanderthals Get the real story behind how your neanderthal ancestors helped create who you are today.

Discover how much of a Neanderthal you really are

Neanderthals were robust cousins of modern humans that lived in Europe and Asia tens of thousands of years ago. When modern humans migrated out of Africa, they encountered the Neanderthals… and interbred. The results might surprise you.

Did you get your red hair from a Neanderthal? What about your muscle growth or cognitive function? With Insitome’s Neanderthal Insight, you’ll discover traits that you may have inherited from these ancient ancestors and how that made you the successful, well-adapted human you are today.

WHAT MAKES NEANDERTHAL DIFFERENT

Experience the first chapter of your DNA story

You are unique, the product of thousands of generations of striving and success, of hardship and adaptation, of migration and mysterious ancient trysts. Your genome contains this epic, human saga. Insitome will reveal this story to you, chapter by chapter.

Each future chapter will reveal details about 200,000+ years of human evolution that made you, you. Each chapter of your story is overseen by Insitome founder and CEO Spencer Wells, former director of National Geographic’s Genographic Project.

The science

When DNA passes from one generation to the next, most of it is mixed around by the processes that make each of us unique. But, some parts of the DNA remains largely intact generation after generation, altered only occasionally by random mutations. These intact stretches of DNA can be used to trace your ancestry back tens of thousands of years. Certain ancestral lineages, during their migration across the world, encountered Neanderthals and interbred with them. Neanderthal looks at your DNA for signatures of these encounters and provides fun facts about what competitive advantages these sections of Neanderthal DNA may have given your ancestors.

Impact

Your environment and life choices do not influence the ancestral signatures in your DNA.

Limitations

Reported traits are for entertainment purposes only.

The field of paleogenetics is in its infancy and our understanding of hominin ancestry is improving rapidly.

This app will not provide any medical information.

How it works

Get access to the best and latest in DNA discovery. It takes just 3 simple steps.

Order and we’ll send a DNA kit to your home

Order Neanderthal and Helix sends you a DNA collection kit, which includes everything you need to get sequenced.

Provide a saliva sample and get sequenced

Receive your Neanderthal results

After Helix sequences your DNA from your saliva, you’ll get an email from Insitome to view your results when they’re ready.

The Helix DNA kit

To capture the information stored in your DNA so it can be used for this product, we need to collect a small, one-time saliva sample from you. This kit has everything you need to provide that sample from the comfort of your own home, and you’ll never have to provide another.

A unique Kit ID you’ll use to register your kit

Saliva collection tube, cap, and printed instructions

A small bag and prepaid box to send your saliva sample to our lab

The Helix DNA kit

To capture the information stored in your DNA so it can be used for this product, we need to collect a small, one-time saliva sample from you. This kit has everything you need to provide that sample from the comfort of your own home, and you’ll never have to provide another.

A unique Kit ID you’ll use to register your kit

Questions

What does this product check for in my DNA?

This product checks for the relevant ancestry-related parts of your DNA in order to generate your Neanderthal insights.

What is the difference between a Denisovan and a Neanderthal?

Neanderthals are our closest extinct human relatives. Our well-known, but often misunderstood, fossil kin lived in Eurasia 200,000 to 30,000 years ago, in the Pleistocene Epoch. Neanderthals’ appearance were similar to ours, though they were shorter and stockier with angled cheekbones, prominent brow ridges, and wide noses. Often misremembered as dumb brutes, they used tools, buried their dead and controlled fire, among other intelligent cultural behaviors. Denisovans are cousins of Neanderthals who flourished in eastern Eurasia during the same historical period.

How will our understanding of hominin ancestry improve over time?

Results are based on our current understanding of scientific data, but may change with our increasing understanding of human and Neanderthal genetic diversity.

Do I have to get sequenced to use this product?

Yes. In order to use Neanderthal, you need to be sequenced by Helix. To ensure the quality and accuracy of the genetic information used for this service, products in the Helix marketplace do not accept genetic data from outside sources.

How does Helix provide my DNA information to Insitome? Is it shared with anyone else?

Your DNA information is stored securely by Helix. When sequencing is complete, Helix only sends the relevant DNA information needed by Insitome to generate your results. We do not share your DNA information with anyone without your permission. We always maintain high standards when it comes to the security and privacy of your DNA information.

Who do I contact if I have more questions about Neanderthal?

About Insitome

Insitome delivers immersive genetic experiences that empower, educate, and entertain. Our company values scientific innovation, storytelling, and design. Our products help reveal each fascinating chapter in the incredible and mysterious story of you. Join us in this journey of discovery today to find your place in history.

About Helix

Helix empowers everyone to explore what makes them unique—their DNA.

From health and wellness insights to family planning and ancestry information, Helix’s growing list of partners can tap into your genetic profile to provide relevant insights for today, tomorrow and years to come.

Why do I need the Helix DNA kit?

Products on Helix use the DNA information found in your saliva to give you insights into what makes you, you. The Helix DNA kit has everything you need to provide a saliva sample and send it to our lab so we can sequence your DNA.

Once you’re sequenced, you can gain insights from any product on Helix for years to come—all without having to provide another saliva sample ever again.